Healthcare resource use among participants in a randomized trial of partner-based HIV treatment for seroconcordant couples in antenatal and postnatal care in rural Mozambique

Abstract Objective To describe healthcare resource use in rural Mozambique among postpartum women with HIV, their seroconcordant male partners (MPs), and their infants to estimate costs and inform program planning. Methods We collected self-reported resource use data alongside a clinical trial and used WHO-CHOICE methodology to estimate associated healthcare costs. Results We enrolled 927 postpartum women with HIV, 836 MPs, and 756 infants from birth/delivery to 18 months postpartum. We found that 55%, 38% and 8% of women had 0, 1–2, and ≥ 3 health center visits during the first postpartum month, whereas 44%, 47%, and 8% of infants had 0, 1–2, and ≥ 3 health center visits during the same period. 77%, 18%, and 5% of women and 77%, 20%, and 3% of infants spent 0, 1–2, and ≥ 3 nights in a hospital, respectively. From 15 to 18 months postpartum, 38%, 50%, and 12% of women, 45%, 47%, and 8% of MPs, and 33%, 55%, and 12% of infants had 0, 1–2, and ≥ 3 health center visits; hospitalization was infrequent. Average per-person costs of inpatient and outpatient care in the first month postpartum were $4.34-$5.36 and $2.15–3.40, respectively. Conclusion Overall healthcare resource use was low for this population in rural Mozambique in the 18 months after birth/delivery.